learntoquestion ltq discussions

Originally posted by ABC123 on February 03, 2026 23:11

Generational trauma in Art Spiegelman’s Maus is not just one single event, but it is the atmosphere of the entire novel that shapes the identity of second generation descendants. Children of Holocaust survivors such as Artie experience phantom pain as they do not actually have the memories, but this pain is one that’s constantly felt. This pain is embodied when in the presence as well as the absence of Artie's brother, Richieu. Even though Archie never met him, he is a representation of a heavy family tragedy that Artie can’t compete with, Richieu was the perfect kid who died in a tragedy. This leaves Artie to battle his own flaws in the shadow of a history he never experienced. The weight of this trauma is present in Artie and Vladek’s strained relationship. Vladek’s survival instincts that used to be necessary have transformed into controlling behaviors in the present time, such as his obsession with money saving and resource saving. This creates a dynamic where Artie feels like a parent and is overwhelmed by guilt and frustration with his father. His guilt is complex and it is not just guilt of being annoyed, but it’s a deeper survivor’s guilt stemming from having the life that Richieu, Vladek’s first son, could never have. Artie even questions if he is a graverobber for his creation of art from his fathers suffering, he feared that he was exploiting his fathers memories for his success. Is it possible to move on from trauma such as this? Maus suggests that moving beyond is leaving it behind which could be impossible or unhealthy, The text instead argues for the importance of living with it and acknowledging the past. In Maus II, the image of the flies that buzz near Artie implies the overwhelmingness of the trauma, Through the visualization of the story and confronting his dad’d history Artie does not “cure” the trauma he experiences, but rather validates it. If he denied it it would only deepen the wound that he has, but through his acknowledgement he can genuinely understand how the past defines the present. Maus shows that while being the child of a survivor won’t allow you to change the past, you are still able to honor what happened through your refusal to look away from it.

I hadn't really thought about Richieu's role in Art's generational trauma but it is worth mentioning. Art has to live up to the expectations that a child who he has never met lived up to. Art has to internalize these thoughts as he does not want to further upset his father with Artie's own guilt. I agree with your statement that Maus suggests that moving on form these tragic memories seems impossible, but I don't think it is unhealthy. The events of the Holocaust has caused permanent damage to families and they should not feel obligated to heal because fro some it is impossible. Sometimes, the healthiest thing for a survivor to is to just live day to day with their flaws because thats better than not ling at all. I think that Art has reflected a lot on his father's impact on him but also his impact on his father. Retelling his father's stories had only brought out more of Vladeck's flaws and while I dont think that was Art's intention, it sets precedence for the people who we pressure to tell their story.

Originally posted by Thequeen3 on February 02, 2026 17:01

I think people who are children of Holocaust survivors tend to have a lot of survivor guilt. In Maus, we see Spiegelman have a lot of guilt about not having to go through anything his parents went through during the Holocaust. With his parents Spiegelman felt that it was bad because of the traumatic events that they went through with not only being at Auschwitz, but also the death of his older brother who passed before he was born. On page 15 of Maus II we see Art talking to his wife about his older brother. We see him reference his brother as an “Ghost-brother”. This metaphor signifies as a haunting reminder that his brother was gone even though he wasn’t even born yet. Art also explained to his wife that, “The photo never threw tantrums or got in any kind of trouble… It was an ideal kid, and I was a pain. I couldn't compete”(Spiegelam 15). This shows how he always felt like that picture was a shadow haunting him, even as an adult. Once Spiegelman's mother passed away from suicide is when the survivor’s guilt started to hit even harder. I think that this weight of the trauma experienced by direct ancestors, as well as communities, play into the lives of young people today by many people finding themselves struggling with their relationships with their relatives. We see this dynamic with Art and his father. Valdek was very stubborn. He was this way because of the post war, which made his survival instincts very high. With Valdek being stubborn because of the war this made it hard for Art because it mainly shaped the relationship that they had during the entire book. I think yes, while it is possible to move beyond generational trauma, it is better to acknowledge it. This is because acknowledging this traumatic experience will help you break the cycle. Having self awareness helps to allow you to heal, and will make it faster to break what the problem was before it happens again. Acknowledging and validating the pain of what direct ancestors have been through helps you not let it control your life, or the future generations.

The most compelling idea in this post is that children of Holocaust survivors tend to have a lot of survivor guilt. Specifically, Art feels guilty about not having to experience the trauma that his parents suffered through. He believes that he had less to worry about compared to his parents, growing up in a stable environment where he felt safe. This post also mentions Art’s ghost brother, Richieu, and how he has always felt like he was competing against the “ideal” child. Richieu died in the Holocaust before Art was born, and his portrait serves as a reminder that there will always be a part of him that feels unworthy of his life, and not as great as his ghost brother could have been. The post also talks about how his guilt became more intense when his mother died by suicide. Already having strained relationships with both of his parents, her suicide drew him and his father further apart. Art also felt guilty for her death, and regretful that he was never fully able to connect with her on a deeper level and learn about her experiences. I agree with the statement that it is better to acknowledge trauma than try to move past and forget it. I think the most interesting idea is about breaking the cycle of trauma, and how self-awareness allows people to heal.

Originally posted by DiaryoftheSillyKid on February 02, 2026 21:43

Generational trauma plays a major role in shaping the lives of children of the Holocaust survivors, as seen in Art Spiegelman's experiences in Maus I and II. Although Art did not directly experience the holocaust, the trauma he got from his parents, especially his father, deeply affected his identity and mental health. Spiegelman shows how trauma does not end with the survivor but is instead passed down to the next generation emotionally and psychologically. Through Maus, Vladek's obsessive behavior and controlling problems are clear examples of his time surviving Auschwitz. These traits frustrate Art, but they are rooted in survival instincts that come from extreme trauma. For example, Vladek’s hoarding and constant worry show the hardship he suffered from the Holocaust. Art grows up under the weight of these actions, often feeling guilt and resentment, and emotionally distant from his father. According to critics, this shows intergenerational transmission of trauma, where the survivor’s unresolved pain shapes the emotional environment of their children, even if the trauma is never spoken about.

Art's guilt is intensified by the presence of his brother, who died during the Holocaust, and is a perfect example for his parents. Art feels he can never live up to his brother, which contributes to his feelings of depression and uncertainty. In Maus II, Spiegelman shows himself wearing a nose mask while talking about the success of Maus, showing how he feels trapped by both his trauma and expectations of his parents as a holocaust descendant. This shows how generational trauma can influence self-worth and identity even after many years from the original event. The weight og generational trauma is not only for the Holocaust, but other patterns in individuals affected by war, genocide, and slavery are seen until this day. Young people may experience fear and anxiety surrounding painful histories, even when they do not understand the source. Spiegelman says that while it may not be possible to move beyond generational trauma, making sure you know it is necessary. By telling his family's story through Maus, Art confronts the trauma rather than keeping it down and secret.

Maus says that living with and understanding generational trauma, rather than suppressing it, allows for understanding and healing, and most importantly, remembrance. While the trauma may never go away, facing it openly can stop its silent continuation and give future generations the tools to cope with the past.

I think the most compelling part of your post was definitely when you stated, “Art grows up under the weight of these actions, often feeling guilt and resentment, and emotionally distant from his father. According to critics, this shows intergenerational transmission of trauma, where the survivor’s unresolved pain shapes the emotional environment of their children, even if the trauma is never spoken about”. I agree with this because, in Maus we see Vladek’s survival instincts and experiences be a part of the way he raises Art. This later shaped the way Art was impacted in life, with not only the guilt of his father, but also his mother and late brother.

A part of your post that stood out to me the most was your second paragraph and end statement. I really liked how you connected generation trauma with not only the Holocaust, but also other instances of oppression of people; like slavery and genocide. In your post you ended off with, “While the trauma may never go away, facing it openly can stop its silent continuation and give future generations the tools to cope with the past”. My views on this are very similar. Facing your generational trauma will help you not let it control your life and continue for future generations to go through. Acknowledging it will help you not only mentally but even possibly physically as well. In the end breaking your generational trauma will eventually allow you to heal and stop it from becoming a bigger issue for anyone else in the near future.

Originally posted by forest-hills-station39 on February 01, 2026 18:57

Art’s entire childhood was defined by the Holocaust, even though he didn’t live through it himself. The very first panel of Maus shows Art crying to his father about his friends leaving him behind after he fell. Rather than comfort his son, Vladek says “Friends?... If you lock them together in a room with no food for a week.. Then you could see what it is, friends!” (6) Similarly, the very last panel of Maus has Vladek call Art “Richieu,” his first son who died in the Holocaust, showing that Art is still living in the shadow of the Holocaust, growing up as the replacement for another boy. Vladek’s experiences in the Holocaust, specifically, how relationships break down when placed under the immense strain of such a tragedy, has clearly impacted him deeply and made him more cynical, and in this panel, knowingly or not, he passes that traumatized mindset onto his son while he is at an impressionable age. Another type of generational trauma is less about the traits that Art may have inherited, but the strain the trauma has caused on the relationship between himself and his father. His father, due to being extremely malnourished in the camps and having lost his entirely livelihood and income during the war, has become, in Art’s words, “stingy,” holding on to almost everything he can and going so far as to return mostly empty boxes to the grocery store to get some meager amount of money back. This personality trait both embarrasses and enrages Art, who laments that he is “just like the racist caricature of the miserly old Jew” (133). The trauma response that Vladek has to the Holocaust directly harms the relationship he has with his son, especially considering that before the events of Maus, the two weren’t particularly close. It isn’t just Vladek’s trauma that impacts Art, but his mother, Anja’s, as well. Anja commits suicide, and while it is never stated what her reason for taking her own life is, her trauma almost certainly contributed to the depression she was already experiencing beforehand. The article “Intergenerational transmission of trauma in Spiegelman’s Maus,” in analyzing “Prisoner on the Hell Planet,” makes note of how Art’s guilt about his mother’s death directly ties in to his inherited trauma of the Holocaust, with “a swastika sign on a camp wall and a pile of murdered victims at its bottom” in the same frame as his mother’s body. Her death, at least in Art’s eyes, is tied directly with the Holocaust, as is his crushing guilt over her death. Acknowledging this trauma is far better than pushing past it; if Art hadn’t written Maus, he would not have been as close to his father when he died, and would have likely felt the same sort of guilt he felt towards his mother.

I agree with everything you said in your post. You did a good job integrating quotes and specific chapters from the book to back up your ideas. You brought up a great point that Vladek is seen in the book acting like he is still in a camp. He thinks of food as a scarce resource when he lives in a time of abundance and wealth. He also thinks people are still fighting for resources. He believes this because he saw what people would do without food. I like how in the end you bring up the effect Vladek’s trauma has on Artie. Artie is conflicted about his father. He gets angry at him sometimes, but also feels bad. I also agree that one of the reasons Artie wrote Maus was so he could get closer to his father. When journals were destroyed, I think he was also mad because he wanted to talk about them with his father and spend more time with him. I like how you brought up Anja and how the Holocaust impacted her and her relationship with Vladek, and the impact that her suicide had on the family. I thought you did a good job and liked how you included lots of major themes from the book.